This is directed to tagging stored data, such as media, with automatically discovered metadata. Metadata can be automatically discovered based on known or available metadata for the stored data by identifying other data also associated with the known metadata.
Electronic devices can generate, capture, store or access different types of data. For example, an electronic device can be used to generate files containing different types of information (e.g., media files, data files, documents, spreadsheets, or presentations). To assist the user in classifying or organizing the data, or to assist the user or others in searching for the data (e.g., if the data is later stored in a remote location), different metadata can be associated with the data. The metadata can include, for example, information providing the identity of the user generating or editing the data, the content of the data, the location or time at which the data was generated to edited, user-defined tags, or other attributes of the data.
Different metadata can be associated with stored data using any suitable approach. In some embodiments, some metadata can automatically be associated with data when the data is initially generated. For example, metadata associated with an application used to generate the data, the person owning a license to use the application, the date and time at which the application was used, various settings describing the format of the data (e.g., the font and paragraph information of a text document), or an Internet address of a device used to generate the data can be automatically generated and associated with the data by the device used to generate the data. In some embodiments, metadata can be associated with stored data at a later time. For example, metadata providing a time stamp, the identity of a user editing data, a listing of changes made by a particular user, or other such metadata can be automatically associated with stored data when the data is accessed or edited.
In some embodiments, a user can instead or in addition manually modify metadata associated with stored data. For example, a user can access a menu or display associated with the stored data, and remove, add, or change metadata listed in the menu. In some cases, a user can add a new metadata field. As another example, a user can remove all metadata associated with data prior to sending the data to another user (e.g., scrub a file before sending it via email). As still another example, a user can select several data files, and simultaneously change the metadata for the collection of data files (e.g., so that they all have the same or different metadata).
When an electronic device automatically associates metadata with a media item, however, the electronic device may only be able to provide metadata for a limited number of fields. In particular, the specific metadata automatically provided for stored data can be constrained by the capabilities of the electronic device generating the data. For example, a device that does not include positioning circuitry may not be able to provide location-based metadata. As another example, an electronic device that does not include a clock may not be able to provide time stamp metadata.